Bed linens are the newest way to keep the home fires burning as families wait for the return of troops deployed overseas.

During the National Guard troop deployment ceremony Aug. 16 at East Aurora High School, volunteers from Batavia American Legion Post 504 and Aurora American Legion Post 84 took pictures of area soldiers with their families, and transferred the photos to pillowcases as part of Operation Pillowcase. The pillowcases were then given to family members of the troops.

“That way, families have pictures of their sons while they’re deployed,” said Batavia post member Don Nallenweg. “This is (a way) to remember (the troops) nightly as they are deployed.”

The program also can help children feel less anxious, giving them a pillowcase printed with a picture of their deployed parent, Marilyn Challand, Batavia post commander said.

“They can run to their room and hug their pillows,” she said.

The soldiers of Charlie Troop, Aurora 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry, eventually will deploy to undisclosed locations in Afghanistan, where they will train and prepare Afghan police.

As part of Task Force Phoenix, the Charlie Troop members have deployed with 3,000 Illinois National Guard members, the largest mass deployment of Illinois guard members since World War II. Most of the 60 troop members will be training new police officers in Afghanistan, where corruption has made it difficult to identify friendly forces from enemies.

“These are great patriots, but there are also great patriots in the stands,” said Maj. Gen. Dennis Celletti during the Aug. 16 ceremony, “family members who have to make the ultimate sacrifice when the (soldiers) are gone.”

Nallenweg said volunteers who took pictures and ironed the images Aug. 16 created nearly 200 pillowcases for families who came to wish their departing soldiers farewell.

“It was quite a job,” he said.

“We got rave reviews from the soldiers,” Challand said. “They were happy we were doing it.”